Harvard University Earns Stormready® Distinction
Release Date: August 14, 2007
Release Number: BRI-01-06
Harvard University was recently recognized as a StormReady® community - the fifth in Massachusetts to do so. It is the first university in New England and first of the Ivy League schools to attain this certification. This designation indicates that Harvard has fulfilled its emergency communications capabilities and preparedness responsibilities in the event of a natural disaster.
"Harvard University is very pleased to be a part of the StormReady® program," said Gary Kassabian, director of emergency services for university operations services. "While no campus can be storm proof, Harvard will be better prepared to deal with severe weather through improved planning, education, and awareness as a result of our partnership with the National Weather Service."
The nationwide community preparedness program uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle local severe weather and flooding threats. A StormReady® designation will be in effect for three years, after which time the university will go through a renewal process. The program is voluntary and provides communities with clear-cut advice from a partnership between local National Weather Service forecast offices and state and local emergency managers. StormReady® started in 1999 with seven communities in the Tulsa, Okla., area. There are currently 1,208 StormReady® sites across the country, including 18 universities.
"StormReady® encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations and public awareness," said Glenn Field, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass. "StormReady® arms communities with improved communication and safety skills needed to save lives and property - before and during the event."
With a university population of 45,000, Harvard had to meet the same requirements that would be required of a city. To be recognized as StormReady® a community must:
- Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center;
- Have more than one way to receive severe weather forecasts and warnings and to alert the public;
- Create a system that monitors local weather conditions;
- Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars;
- Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.
In conclusion, Field states "The United States is the most severe weather prone region of the world. The mission of the National Weather Service is to reduce the loss of life and property from these storms, and StormReady® will help us create better prepared communities throughout the country."
On the Web:
NOAA
NOAA's National Weather Service
NOAA's National Weather Service in Taunton
NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards
NOAA's StormReady® program:
StormReady® is a registered trademark of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 14-Aug-2007 15:30:44